Voucher rates to rise in April

The optical voucher values in England will increase overall by 1.95 per cent from April 1.The new values are: A £30.50, B £46.40, C £63.20, D £142.70, E £52.70, F £67, G £81, H £157, I £157, and J £44.60 per lens.The complex lens voucher is now £10.70 for single vision and £27 for bifocal. The tints/ photochromic lens supplement will rise to £3.30 for single vision and £3.80 for bifocal per lens. The prism voucher is £9.90 for single vision and £11.90 for bifocal per lens. The small frames supplement increases to £50.20 and the supplement for special facial characteristics (HES or NHS Trust) to £50.20.Repair and replacement supplements are now: A £9.50, B £17.45, C £25.85, D £65.60, E £20.60, F £27.75, G £34.75 and H and I £72.75 for one lens. For two lenses values are £19, £34.90, £51.70, £131.20, £41.20, £55.50, £69.50 and £145.50 respectively. For a frame, the value will be £9.75 for the front, £5.80 for the side and £11.50 for the whole. For small frames, the front is £44.60, the side is £24.20 and the whole rises to £50.20.Practitioners will receive £28.31 for first and second patients seen in one domiciliary visit, and £7.09 for third and subsequent patients. For replacement contact lenses (prescribed by the HES or an NHS Trust), if only one of the pair is replaced, the voucher value is £44.60.